The Closet Spiritualist

I have recently come across a client saying they are a ‘Closet Spiritualist’ and it made me think. What exactly is the meaning of this, what is the intention of this label one chooses to carry, and what is this label fuelled by?

Spiritualism comes from the belief that there is a reality beyond the physical world. That there is life after death. That the soul chooses life and that during this time of life you, the soul, takes responsibility for its actions and choices it makes in life. 

Hmm, let’s look at this more closely and start with the concept of taking responsibility for our actions and choices we make in life. Perhaps it is not that far-fetched to consider that this aspect of Spiritualism is not so….far-fetched. 

As a Clinical Hypnotherapist I encourage my clients to take responsibility for their feelings and not to blame others. The feelings we carry are ours and ours alone, and it is ultimately our own choice in how we wish to feel about certain matters in our life. 

I am responsible for my own feelings. 

Which now leads me to choice. Once a person realises that feelings and emotions are your own responsibility, then the realisation of choice comes forward. For if emotions are of your own doing, then you can choose how you wish to deal with your own emotions. 

I have a choice in how I wish to feel.

Now,…what does reality mean then? I wonder if reality is what we perceive to be in front of us, what we can see, hear, touch, and feel. And when I say feel, I mean touching something with your hands or feeling the ground beneath your bare feet. But there is also the feeling that is inside us, the gut feeling you may call it perhaps. 

So, if what we see and hear is real because it is in front of us then it must be real surely!?

And if there is something we can touch, it must be real as well. 

But what about feelings then? These we cannot see, but they feel very real at times, don’t they? 

What is reality then, then our perception of a moment in time, whereby we interact with that which surrounds us. And perhaps the realisation that part of that interaction will be visible and that part will be invisible. 

Perhaps one may go on to argue then that reality is not based on what is in front of us, but also what is within us. The seen and the unseen. And if there is an unseen aspect of reality, then would it not be possible to have an unseen part of our existence that we may perceive at times, but that is and can be just as real as the physical world in front of us?

Which brings me to the unseen aspect of spiritualism. And I say unseen rather than unfelt. For there is a difference. 

The unseen, but potentially real aspect, that our existence perhaps is more than just the moment in front of you. That our inner essence, our lifeforce, our inner voice is this creature that is the real me, the real you, the real being, that simply explores moments of different reality.

And moments of different reality of exploration is a path of learning or seeing different moments of reality. Of accumulating different aspects, lessons. And if we consider that to truly learn and understand an aspect or a lesson, an experience within ourselves, then surely we ought to experience these experiences to its fullest extent and in every possible way.

And how best to do this, then to create as many moments of reality as possible, filled with as many experiences as possible, filled with as many lessons as possible. And perhaps it is then not so far-fetched to consider that one lifetime is simply not enough to experience and explore and learn all there truly is to learn. It could therefore be argued that there is life after death and that death is simply the doorway to another lifetime.

Now, another aspect of Spiritualism is the believe in Guides as well as in the ability to communicate with Spirit Guides. 

May I ask, how many of you have had internal conversations in your head? Conversations which sounded comforting towards yourself, conversations which discussed the pros and cons of a matter, a moment in time of experience within yourself. How many of you have had gut feelings of ‘I think this feels right’, or ‘I think this does not feel right’?

And I come back to emotions which are real to us, so why not the feelings of our gut? Why not the words of love, guidance, discussions within our own mind?

Perhaps you may say that this is simply you speaking to yourself, but then again, like the invisible emotions we carry, perhaps it is a form of guidance you, we are receiving. And like our emotions, the guidance is real and could contain an element of whereby we may consider the reality of the guidance stemming from the possibility that it comes from a Guide. A Guide that is there just for you. A Guide that assists you, that loves you, that cares for you and with you. A Guide that ensures that you stay on your path of lessons, of experiences so you learn all there is to learn of what it is you wish to understand. 

Let me come back to the ‘Closet Spiritualist’ – a person who ‘practices or believes in spiritualist teachings but keeps their spirituality hidden or private, often to social stigma or fear of judgement.’

My question now is, what is the intention of the label ‘Closet Spiritualist’ and why does it ultimately seem to be fuelled by social stigma as well as fear of judgement?

What are we, what are you so afraid of truly?

Are you afraid of the realisation that your emotions are your responsibility?

Are you afraid of the realisation that you have choice in your life?

Are you afraid of reality and the possibility that reality can have a physical and a non-physical aspect to it?

Are you afraid of your inner voice, of your gut feeling?

And what is this fear making you do? Where is it pushing you towards? Where is it stopping you from going? 

And lastly, what does the label ‘Closet Spiritualist’ truly fuel within us, within society? 

Is it a label that carries the frequency of unification or does it carry the frequency of division? Is it not easier for fear to be present when we are divided, when you think you are alone, when you feel singled out, vulnerable because you fear being judged? 

Perhaps it is time to reconsider the ‘I’, the ‘me’ and the ‘you’ and start speaking of the ‘we’, the ‘us’, and the ‘they’. 

For we are the all of us, and the all of us are strong and do not need to fear social stigma, do not need to worry about the labels that keep us apart, that bring division and fuel judgement. 

And my final question to you is – Who benefits from us being divided rather than united? 

Perhaps it is those that fear the most….